Winning on home soil is a special feeling. But when it comes to rivalries, the European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup prove that there’s nothing sweeter than beating your neighbors. Think of the historic rivalry between English and French sides and the euphoria in Wales when a Welsh team beats an English team. What happens when an Irish star playing for a French side has an away game in Dublin, Limerick, or Belfast? Rivalries usually reserved for the Six Nations tournament retake center stage with rival European clubs battling it out. That said, the 2022/23 season will introduce South African teams Bulls, Stormers, and Sharks to the Champions Cup, with the Lions and Cheetahs added to the Challenge Cup.
La Rochelle won its first Champions Cup title last year, while fellow French side Lyon won its first Challenge Cup. Can English Premiership side Saracens make a push this year? Or will Top 14 side Montpellier go all the way? Learn how to watch European Champions and Challenge Cup live streams securely with a VPN and catch all the action.
Live stream 2022-23 European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup games with a VPN
You can securely live stream 2022–23 European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup games with a VPN in just a few simple steps:
- Get ExpressVPN.
- Connect to a server location that matches the broadcaster you want to watch. For example, if you’d like to see the UK broadcast, connect to a server in London.
- Check the schedule of the broadcaster you want to watch, like BT Sport.
- Tune in and enjoy the games!
Watching on a computer? For the best streaming experience, be sure to use the ExpressVPN browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.
Watch free European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup live streams
ITVX
Price: Free
ITV is showing one Champions Cup match per round in the UK and Ireland—including the big final—for free until the end of the 2023/24 season.
Want to watch rugby on the big screen? Check out this handy guide.
RTÉ Player
Price: Free
Viewers in Ireland can use RTÉ Player to tune into one Champions Cup match per round in the UK and Ireland—including the big final—for free until the end of the 2023/24 season.
S4C
Price: Free
Welsh free-to-air S4C Clic has free live streams of all Ospreys’ pool games in the Champions Cup, as well as one match featuring either Cardiff Rugby, Dragons RFC, or the Scarlets in each pool stage of the Challenge Cup until the end of the 2023–24 season.
France TV
Price: Free
France TV broadcasts are free, however, note that the stream is in French, and only select matches will be streamed live. Check the official schedule for more information.
Where to watch the European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup
BT Sport
Price: 25 GBP/month
BT Sport has exclusive rights to both the European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup in the UK and Ireland and will show all 48 live games from the pool stage of the 2022/23 Champions Cup. With the monthly pass, you can live stream all the action without a contract or TV box.
Peacock
Price: 5 USD/month and up
NBC holds broadcasting rights for the European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup in the U.S. and will show the games live on their streaming service Peacock Premium. A seven-day free trial is available.
Note: You may need a valid U.S. credit/debit card to subscribe to Peacock TV.
Watch European Rugby Champions Cup highlights on YouTube
Check out the latest highlights, news, interviews, practices, and previews on the official Heineken Champions Cup YouTube channel.
2022–23 European Champions Cup schedule
| Date | Event |
| December 9–11, 2022 | Round 1 |
| December 16–18, 2022 | Round 2 |
| January 13–15, 2023 | Round 3 |
| January 20–22, 2023 | Round 4 |
| April 1–2, 2023 | Round of 16 |
| April 7–9, 2023 | Quarterfinals |
| April 28–30, 2023 | Semifinals |
| May 20, 2023 | Final |
2022–23 European Challenge Cup schedule
| Date | Event |
| December 9–11, 2022 | Round 1 |
| December 16–18, 2022 | Round 2 |
| January 13–15, 2023 | Round 3 |
| January 20–22, 2023 | Round 4 |
| April 1–2, 2023 | Round of 16 |
| April 7–9, 2023 | Quarterfinals |
| April 28–30, 2023 | Semifinals |
| May 19, 2023 | Final |
Who are the favorites for the 2022–23 European Cups?
La Rochelle won its first Champions Cup, though Ireland’s Leinster and French side Toulouse are many of the bookies’ favorites. Toulon is among the favorites for the Challenge Cup title, boosted by Fijian wing Waisea Nayacalevu and former La Rochelle fly-half Ihaia West.
ExpressVPN is a VPN service not intended to be used as a means of copyright circumvention. Please read the ExpressVPN Terms of Service and your content provider’s Terms of Use for more details.
FAQ for streaming sports
Can I stream sports on my computer?
Can I stream sports on my phone or tablet?
Yes. ExpressVPN has apps for every major mobile device, including iOS and Android.
How can I stream on my TV with a VPN?
In brief there are five different ways to stream sports on your TV with ExpressVPN:
-With the native app for a smart TV, Android TV device, or other streaming device
-By streaming on your computer and connecting to the TV with an HDMI cable
-By mirroring or casting wirelessly to your TV or streaming device from your computer or mobile device
-By connecting to an ExpressVPN-enabled router, which allows for unlimited devices and makes it super simple to connect to different server locations simultaneously
-With MediaStreamer, ExpressVPN’s solution for devices that cannot install a VPN, such as Apple TV or gaming consoles. MediaStreamer only needs to be set up once, although it does not provide the full security benefits of a VPN. (Note that by connecting your Apple TV or gaming console to a router, you can get the best of both worlds!)
For more information on all the ways to get ExpressVPN on your big-screen TV, click below, or just contact a 24/7 Support agent for step-by-step instructions.
I connected to the suggested VPN server location but I can’t log in to the streaming service!
No worries! Server load changes rapidly (especially when lots of people are trying to watch certain events), but that’s exactly why ExpressVPN has high-speed servers all over the world. If you’re trying to access a site in the U.S. or Germany, for instance, try connecting to a different server location in those countries.
If you’re trying to connect to a country with one server location, the first step is to check your location settings. If you’re on a mobile device, disconnect from the VPN, turn off location services, then connect to the VPN again. On both Windows and Mac computers, you can turn off Location Services within the Privacy & Security settings menu.
For more help, you can always talk to a member of our Support Team, available 24/7 by live chat.
I connected to the VPN but my internet speed is slow
If your internet speed is slow or your streaming seems to lag, there are a few possible reasons:
-The distance of your selected VPN server location from your physical location
-Your connection type (wired connections are more reliable than wireless connections)
-Suboptimal interconnectivity between the VPN and your ISP
-Slow internet connection speed at your location
-Your device type and processing power
Try each of the following steps to troubleshoot:
-Download the latest version of ExpressVPN
-Connect to a different VPN server location
-Change your VPN protocol
If you try each of the above and are still experiencing issues with your streaming speed, contact the ExpressVPN Support Team 24/7 and someone will be with you in seconds.
What other streaming services can I watch with ExpressVPN?
ExpressVPN works seamlessly with all the most popular streaming apps from around the world. Using a VPN for streaming ensures you watch securely in blazing-fast HD with unlimited bandwidth, free from ISP throttling (which can sometimes slow down speeds). If you want to watch your favorite team from anywhere—even while traveling or on unsecured networks like public Wi-Fi—ExpressVPN is a great way to enhance your sports streaming experience.
